Ralph Gillies, Chrysler's top designer, told Bloomberg this week the next Viper will be inspired by "a naked woman on the beach" and will be "drop-dead beautiful." Fine — just as long as she's still engaging in that burn-your-legs-getting-out-of-bed fetish.

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In addition, Chrysler says the new Dodge Viper will be "drop-dead beautiful" and is meant to draw buyers away from Porsche and the Corvette. Wait, did they say Porsche? Really? And they'll call it a Viper?

While production of the sports car ceased in July, the last we'd heard, the automaker's five-year turnaround plan included the possibility of bringing it back in 2012.

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Now we're getting a more definitive timeline. The car will be released next year as a 2013 model-year vehicle, Gilles told reporters at the Automotive News World Congress on Thursday in Detroit.

Above is the new version of the logo shown to Viper Club of America owners late last year.